Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski has named rookie Shedeur Sanders as the starting quarterback for the remainder of the 2025 NFL season. Sanders, a fifth-round pick, has started the team's last three games following Dillon Gabriel's concussion. The Browns hold a 1-2 record in those outings.
Shedeur Sanders will lead the Cleveland Browns for the final stretch of the 2025 season, as announced by head coach Kevin Stefanski. The rookie, selected in the fifth round of the draft, stepped in after fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel suffered a concussion during Week 11 against the Baltimore Ravens.
Stefanski praised Sanders' progress, stating, "He has constantly and consistently gotten better in each one of these games. He's been working very hard. I feel good about where his development is heading. He knows there are always gonna be plays that he could be better and those types of things, but he's very intentional about getting better each and every game he's out there."
Sanders' debut came against the Ravens, where he completed 4 of 16 passes with one interception. He rebounded in the following game against the Raiders in Las Vegas, securing a win highlighted by his first career touchdown pass—a 66-yard completion to Dylan Sampson that extended the lead to 24-3 in the third quarter.
In Week 13 versus the San Francisco 49ers, Sanders achieved a season-high 64% completion rate, though the Browns fell 26-8. His most recent performance was against the Tennessee Titans, throwing for a career-best 364 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception in a narrow loss to the Titans and rookie quarterback Cam Ward.
The Browns face a demanding schedule ahead, starting with a road trip to the 9-4 Chicago Bears, followed by a home game against the 9-4 Buffalo Bills. They close against the rival Pittsburgh Steelers at home—after an earlier loss in Week 6—and finish at the Cincinnati Bengals.